Two kilos of heroin worth $300,000 seized during traffic stop

Two suspects are facing felony drug charges after Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers seized two kilos of heroin, valued at more than $300,000 during a traffic stop in Hamilton County.

Troopers stopped a 2005 GMC Envoy, with Indiana registration, for a registration violation, on Interstate 74, near milepost 2, at 12:40 a.m. on Nov. 9. Criminal indicators were observed and a Patrol drug-sniffing canine alerted to the vehicle. A probable cause search revealed the two kilos of heroin concealed in the rear cargo area of the vehicle.

Darvia L. Tate, 38, of Indianapolis and Keeisha J. Huff, 36, of Brooklyn Park, Minn., were incarcerated in the Hamilton County Justice Center and charged with possession of heroin and trafficking in heroin, both first-degree felonies.

This was one of several recent drug busts resulting from traffic stops initiated by state Highway Patrol troopers on Ohio highways. Below is a roundup of other stops:

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A Tennessee man is facing felony drug charges after Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers seized 1,066 Oxycodone pills, worth $31,980 following a traffic stop in Hancock County. Troopers stopped a 2013 Kia Rio, with Tennessee registration, for a marked lanes and following too close violation, on Interstate 75, near milepost 160, in Hancock County at 11:55 a.m. Monday. Upon speaking with the driver, the odor of raw marijuana was detected emitting from inside the vehicle and on his person. A probable cause search revealed the pills on his person. The driver, Trenton Shuttlesworth, 44, of Nashville, Tenn., was incarcerated at the Hancock County Justice Center and charged with possession and trafficking of Oxycodone, both first-degree felonies. If convicted he could face up to 20 years in prison and up to a $40,000 fine.

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Troopers stopped a rented 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan, with Michigan registration, for not having a license plate light and defective tail lights, on Interstate 75, near milepost 193 in Wood County on November 14 at 9 p.m. Troopers observed an odor of raw marijuana in addition to other criminal indicators. The driver surrendered a baggie containing three grams of marijuana. A probable cause search of the vehicle revealed 238 Oxycontin, 76 Lortab, 50 Xanax, 33 Percocet and three Hydrocodone pills. The pills have a street value of $7,500. The driver, Niketa J. Williams, 41, of Detroit, Mich., was charged with two counts of possession of drugs, first-degree misdemeanors; and trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony. The passenger, Bernard P. Williams, 31, also of Detroit, was charged with three counts of both possession of drugs and trafficking in drugs; one count for each in the second, third and fourth-degree felonies. Both suspects were incarcerated in the Wood County Jail.

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Troopers stopped a 2010 Chrysler Town and County minivan, with Michigan registration, for a failure to display registration on U.S. 23, near milepost 5, in Scioto County on November 13 at 3:12 p.m. Troopers observed an open container of liquid codeine in plain sight. A probable cause search revealed two empty codeine bottles, an additional full bottle and 91 Oxycodone pills. The driver, Kerwin Lamont McKinney, 41, of Melvindale, Mich., was incarcerated in the Scioto County Jail and charged with possession and trafficking in a schedule II substance, both third-degree felonies.

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Troopers stopped a 2002 Dodge Stratus, with West Virginia registration, for a following too closely violation Interstate 70, near milepost 151, in Muskingum County on November 13 at 2:42 p.m. Criminal indicators were observed and a Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office drug-sniffing canine alerted to the vehicle. A probable cause search revealed four pounds of marijuana. The passenger, Mark Smith, 23, of Mineral Wells, W.Va., admitted ownership of the contraband. He was incarcerated in the Muskingum County Jail and charged with trafficking in marijuana, a third-degree felony and possession of marijuana, a fifth-degree felony.

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Troopers stopped a 2013 Toyota Yaris, with Illinois registration for a speed violation on Interstate 75, near milepost 196, on November 12 at 2:54 a.m. Upon contact with the vehicle, troopers observed an odor of raw marijuana. A probable cause search revealed 20 individually wrapped packages of crack cocaine. Further investigation revealed a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle and that the driver and a passenger were concealing illegal prescription pills on their person.Â The driver, Laura Michelle Kirchner, 19, of Madison Heights, Mich., and passenger, Deonte Riley, 25, of Detroit, Mich., voluntarily provided 130 Oxycodone pills and an additional baggie with various pills. Riley also attempted to provide false identification to the officers. Both Kirchner and Riley were incarcerated in the Wood County Jail and charged with possession of cocaine and trafficking in cocaine, both fourth-degree felonies; and possession and trafficking in a schedule II substance, both third-degree felonies. Additionally, Riley was charged with possession of a schedule II substance, a fifth-degree felony; and providing a police officer with false information and possession of a schedule IV substance, both are first-degree misdemeanors.Â A second passenger, Tarale Leon Demand, 24, also of Detroit, was charged with possession of marijuana, a minor-misdemeanor, and released.